Drawing of Clinton Vase
ca. 1824–25
Medium
Pen and ink, brush and wash
Dimensions
sheet: 8 3/8 x 6 7/16 in. (21.3 x 16.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.652.2
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of early 19th-century Americanversmithing with *Drawing of the Clinton Vase*, a delicate preparatory by Philadelphia artisans Thomas Fletcher Hugh Bridport, created 1824–25. This pen and ink drawing with brush and wash captures the elegant contours of a neoclassical vase, likely designed for silver fabrication—a testament to the collaborative craft that defined the era's decorative arts. Fletcher, a skilled silversmith, and Bridport, known for his precise engravings, together bridged fine art and functional luxury, reflecting America's growing taste for classical-inspired elegance amid post-Revolutionary prosperity. The artwork's medium shines through its meticulous technique: fine pen lines delineate intricate details like ornate handles and fluted bodies, while subtle brush washes add depth and shadow, mimicking the sheen of polished silver. Measuring just 8 3/8 x 6 7/16 inches, this intimate sheet was probably a working model, guiding craftsmen in workshops where hand-forged silverware symbolized status and patriotism—perhaps honoring a prominent figure like DeWitt Clinton, tied to transformative projects such as the Erie Canal. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection (1953), this piece offers a rare glimpse into the design process behind America's burgeoning silver industry. It highlights how drawings like this fueled innovation, blending European influences with Yankee ingenuity for objects that graced elite homes and public celebrations.
About the Artist
Thomas Fletcher|Hugh Bridport · 1787–1866
Thomas Fletcher (1787–1866) was a leading American silversmith whose career bridged the early republic's artisanal traditions and the burgeoning market for grand presentation silver. Born on April 3, 1787, in Alstead, New Hampshire, to Timothy Fletcher and Hannah Fosdick, his early life and training remain not well documented, with no records of formal apprenticeships or mentors identified.) By 18...